When do I know when I can transition from Alameda to 3rd Ave? I have taken a lesson, have gotten a lot of sessions since then on my gear. Safety comes first and am respectful of conditions and my limits. I live in San Mateo, and it kills me to have to drive across the bridge when 3rd is working and Alameda is questionable(gas prices don't help either). Are there riders that learn and progress at 3rd or is it Intermediate and above only?

My rig is probably large for the windier days (12m LF Assault 2, I am 200lb and 6'4"), but I would restrict myself to <20 knot days.

it's more a question of your confidence in staying upwind. thats really the requirement for most spots. Unless your talking waves or other extreme non frequented places. but for the bay, thats the ticket.

Last edited by windhorny on Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

feel free to go. launch from the north parking lot, body drag out of the rocks, and give it a try. obviously, it is better if you can stay upwind, but ending at the 3nd or 4th beach is not that bad, just be careful and favor high tide (to avoid mud bath). I learnt last year over there, on a 12m too.
locals are nice !

Thanks everybody! I am competent in self-rescue (1 successful completion at Alameda). Other than the self-rescue, I have always stepped in and out of the water at the same location. I can consider myself a competent and safe "pilot" for launching and landing. Board skills... well that's another story...

Today there were at least 40 or 50 kites and everything I saw at the lower and upper launches was smooth and orderly. I'm sure it has it's moments, but even seeming pretty crowded it was great on the water and at the launches. If I lived closer, I would kite there more often.

Low tides there are a bummer, but, as far as kiting 3rd after Alameda, ask yourself how your sessions have gone. How do they end? Are you reasonably confident going upwind. Do you have error-free launches? Do others kiters in close proximity freak you out? If something happens on the water, can you self-resuce and make sure before, for any reason, you end up having to climb up the rocks you can have your kite safety'ed, lines rolled up and holding on to your kite?

Most beginners will launch at the upper launch and asking for a holddown is OK as well as getting somebody to spot on your way to get your board at the waters edge and go out, as it can be slippery there sometimes. The upper launch gives you a safety buffer and if something does go wrong, there's a few beaches downwind you can come in at, one way or another just make sure you do it before you get to the bridge!

last week i saw a kiter beeing dragged on the beach after a failed launch.
it was late and there was only few kites on the parking launch at that time. i have hard time to figure what would happen at 3PM when it is difficult to find a slot for your kite and lines a huge 30 lines knot ? gosh, i would like to see that !